Spray unit assembly



March 3, 1959 B. J. DE slMbNE ETAL I 2,876,040

'SPRAYY UNIT ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 18, 195'! FIG. 4

7 INVENTORS BE MIN J. DE SIMONE DO LD F. CROZAT ATTORNEK? United StatesPatent SPRAY UNIT ASSEMBLY Benjamin J. De Simone, Pacific Palisades, andDonald F. Crozat, Santa Monica, Calif assignors to Precision Development'Co., Inc., av corporation of California Application January 18, 1957,Serial No. 634,891

1 Claim. ('Cl. 299-84) This inventionrelates generally to washingapparatus and more particularly to animproved spray unit for use incombination with a diverter valve assembly in kitchen sink fixtures.

Conventional spray unit assemblies generally comprise a scrubbingelement in the form of a brush secured to one end of a handle to which aflexible tube is connected for passing water thereto upon actuation of adiverter valve. Thus, Water may be diverted from the conventional spoutto the spray unit. A further control means is generally provided foradding detergent or soap to the water from the outlet of the spray unitso that proper washing of dishes and so forth is greatly facilitated. Inmany prior art devices of this type, the soap or detergent to be mixedwith the water is contained in a separate tank or storage unit locatedunder the sink and is fed to the spray unit through an auxiliary tubingor even mixed with the water adjacent the diverter valve so that themixture is expelled from the brush. Alternatively, some detergentreservoirs are provided in the handle structure of the spray unit. Inmost of these prior art devices, however, the detergent is subject tothe water pressure and thus becomes diluted relatively quickly. Further,consistent and accurate metering of the detergent for a particular rateof water flow is not possible as a result of the gradual dilution of thedetergent in the reservoir 'by the water.

Bearing the above in mind, it is a primary object of the presentinventionto provide an improved spray unit in which detergent is carriedin-a reservoir enclosed in the handle itself.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide a sprayunit of the above type 'in which pure detergent is used in the reservoirand this detergent is arranged-to be metered into the main Water streamupon voluntary actuation of suitable control means on the spray unit.

Still another object is to provide a device of the above type in whichthe detergent solution isonly subject to atmospheric pressure and itsdilution in the reservoir proper is avoided.

These and many other important objects and advantages of the presentinvention are attained by provid ing a main cylindrical casing sectionprovided with an inlet plug at one end and an outlet plug at the other.The inlet plug includes a central elongated tube coaxially passingwithin the casing and terminating in the outlet plug whereby the outersurface of the tube defines with the inner surface of the casing anannular reservoir for holding pure detergent. The outlet plug in turnincludes a small branch or lateral bore passing through a spring biasedcontrol means in the form of a push valve. The outlet of the valve isdisposed adjacent the end of the elongated tube within the outlet plugsuch that operation of the valve results in detergent passing from thereservoir through the lateral passage into the outlet stream byaspiration.

l 2,876,040 Patented Mar. 3, 1959 The diameter of the lateral passageand degree of opening of the outlet valve determine the quantity ofdetergent pulled into the main water stream and thus proper dimensioningof these elements enables the percentage of detergent mixed with thewater at the outlet end of the elongated tube to be properly controlled.The inlet plug includes a small lateral passage and check "ice valve toprovide an atmospheric vent whereby the de-v tergent is maintained atatmospheric pressure;

A better understanding of this invention will be had by referring to theaccompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof and inwhich:

Figure l is an enlarged perspective view of a conventional sinkstructure in which the spray unit of the present invention is employed;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional elevational view of the v spray unitportion of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross section of that portion of the spray unitenclosed in the circular arrow 3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is another enlarged cross sectional view of that portion of thespray unit enclosed within the circular arrow 4 of Figure 2.

Referring now to Figure 1, there is illustrated hot and cold water inletpipes 10 and 11 adapted to 'be controlled by suitable shut-off valves 12and 13 respectively. These inlets pass to a common waterv pipe 14 fromwhich a hot and cold water mixture may pass upwardly into the inlet 15of a diverter housing unit 16 to either a conventional i spout 17, orupon operation of the diverterv valve, through respect to the casing asby an O-ring 23 and provided with a central exterior nipple 24 adaptedto connect to the hose 19. The inlet plug 22 also includes anelongatedtube portion 25 extending co-axially within the casing 21 andprovided with a central longitudinal bore 26. The arrangement is suchthat the outside of the tube 25 defines with the inside of the.cylindrical casing 21 an annular reservoir 27.

The far end of the elongated tube 25 is provided with an enlargeddiameter annular flange 28 adapted to seat against the inner end of anoutlet plug 29 fitted within the other end of the casing 21. The plug 29includes an outlet chamber,30 in communication with the central bore 26;From the outlet chamber 30 there is provided a suitable tubularextension member 31 terminating in the washing brush portion of thespray unit as shown. An aeration hole A may also be providedcommunicating with chamber 30 as shown.

A fill plug 32 may be provided in the casing 21 to enable filling of theannular reservoir 27 with detergent. Further, a control means operableby a button 33, is provided for passing pure detergent Within theannular reservoir. 27 into the outlet stream of water from the elongatedtube 25 to mix therewith in the chamber 30 prior to passing out the endof the brush portion 31.. The operation of this detergent control meansWill be better understood by referring to the enlarged view thereof asshown in Figure 3.

In Figure 3, the control unit button 33 is adapted to be manuallypressed into a-recess 34 in the casing 21. Button 33 is secured to theupper end of an elongated 29" to terminate in the central'chamber 301'The outlet" plug itself includes a small cavity 36 for housing the valvestem 35, A valve head 37 is secured to the end ofthe valve .stem35"and-biased againsta valve seat 38'between the, cavity36and"the,ch'arnber 3.0as bya-spring 3950 that depression of'the valvestem 35 by the 'button'33' tq,the dotted'line position serves. to placethe cavity 3t? incommunication with the chamber 30; A branchpassagefllpermits detergent to pass from the reservoir 27' t lthechamber. 30,when the valve is opened.

' In order to compensate for the reduced pressure in theannularreservoir 27? when detergent passes through the branch passage 41iintothe chamber 30, a small atmospherlc ventis provided in the inlet plug.The operation of this vent will be clear by referring to Figure 4. As-

shown, there is provided a. lateral bore 42 communicatingwith theatmosphere and passing in an axial direction through the inlet plu-gZZand thence turning at right angles'to. pass tothe outer periphery of theplug in a radial direction. This here 42 terminates in a valve seat 43adaptedto seat. a check ball 44. Detergent is thus blocked from passingfrom the reservoir 27 to the atmosphere through'the passage 42"yetatmospheric pressure may openthevalve ball 44 and thus permit detergent.to pass into the water stream atJthe other end. of the casing.

The operation of'the spray unit of .this invention will be. evidentfromthe. above description. Normally, the control means comprising thevalve stem 35* and valve headi37are biased to closed position such thatthere is nocommunication between the detergent reservoir 27 and thenormal stream or flow of water through the device. Thus, waterpasseslthrough the hose 19*at the right hand end'offthe casing 21',down, the centralbore 26 'into the Outlet chamber 30 and; the extension31. to the brush whereby itmay be -used'to spray dishes. When it is de-SiTCd tOfadd some detergent or-soap to this water, the controlbutton33." may be, depressed'manually to unseat the, valve,,head,37 from thevalve seat 38' asshownin dottedilinesin Figure. 3": The movement ofwater through the chamber 301. will," by "aspiration, draw. in detergentthrough the lateralpassage 41' from the detergent reservoir- 27 wherebypuredetergentis introduced into the stream of water. Release'ofthebutton 33 immediately results in closing of'thevalve-head.37"on thevalve seat 38"'thereby. cutting ofif, communication between thedetergentreservoir. 27"and the-chamber 30 so that pure water again'ispassed'outthe outlet 312' As detergent is periodicallyremoved'from thereservoir as a result of operation of the -button:33,-atmosphericpressure is maintained within the reservoir by air enteringpast thecheck ball valve 44 through the small lateral'passage 42* in the inletplug 22.; i

The entire assembly is of'simple construction and, therefore, extremelyreliable. Further, the detergent reservoir itself, is at no timesubjectto normal water pressure and there is no possibility of .the detergentbecoming diluted. Therefore, pure detergent may be properly metered intothe fluid flow stream under control'of the button 33 and efiicientutilization of the detergent itself is achieved.

Minor modifications within the scope and spirit of the present inventionwill occur to those skilled in the art. The spray unit is, therefore;not to be thought of as limited to the specific. embodimentset. forthfor illustrative purposes.

What is-claimed'. is:

In aspray unit assembly adapted to beconnected; to a source of-water,thecombination comprising; a 'cylindrical casing; aninlet plug,connecting said sourcevto one end of said'casing and including anelongated tube passing co-axially Within said casing; an: outlet plugdisposed on the other end of said casing and including an increaseddiameter outlet chamber receiving the -far end of said elongatedtube,the outer surface of saidvtube defining'with the inner surface ofsaid casing an annular reservoir; means for introducing detergent intosaid reservoir; means'in said inlet plug defining a lateral passageextending axially of the plug for a given distance and" thence radiallyto-terminate on the outer periphery of said plug within said. annularreservoir; a ball check at the end of said passage so that detergentwithin said an-. nular reservoir is maintained at substantiallyatmospheric pressure; said'outlet plug including a valve stem extend ingradially thereinto to terminate in said increased diameteroutletichamber in spacedrelaticnship to the outlet end of. said outlettube, said plug including a cavity surrounding said valve stem andialateral passage connecting said cavity with said reservoir; the commonwall' between said'cavity and said increased diameter outlet chamberhaving an opening defining a valve seat; and a valve head on said valvestem seated'on' said valve seat and adapted to open said valve seat upondepression of said valve stem to admit detergent to said increased.'di-.ameteroutlet chamber, whereby detergent flows intoj said' increaseddiameter outlet chamber at a point spaced from" the outlet end1of saidelongated tube so that said dee tergent is aspiratedfrom said reservoirby waterjetted from the outlet end ofsaid'elongated tube into said'inecreased diameter chamber, said detergent being mixed with said Waterwithout the development of negative pressures in said increased diameteroutlet chamber.

References Cited in'thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,540,064 Weber Jan. 30, 1951 2,545,110 Schaar et al Mar. 13,1951-2,705,622 Laub Apr. 5, 1955. 2,717,176 Osrowtet a1. Sept.'6, 19552,829,921. Osrow et al.. Apr. 8, ,1958 2,829,922 Osrow et al. Apr. 8,19584 FOREIGN PATENTS V 367807 France Nov. 10, 1906'

